e,
placed his right hand, open palm downward, on the ground, at the same
time stretching out his right leg, so that the foot was in contact with
the water.

While Maskull was in the act of staring at him and at the lake, he felt
a stabbing sensation right through his heart, as though he had been
pierced by a rapier. He barely recovered himself from falling, and as
he did so he saw that a spout had formed on the water, and was now
subsiding again. The next moment he was knocked down by a violent blow
in the mouth, delivered by an invisible hand. He picked himself up; and
observed that a second spout had formed. No sooner was he on his legs,
than a hideous pain hammered away inside his brain, as if caused by a
malignant tumour. In his agony, he stumbled and fell again; this time on
the arm Krag had wounded. All his other mishaps were forgotten in this
one, which half stunned him. It lasted only a moment, and then sudden
relief came, and he found that Earthrid's rough music had lost its power
over him.

He saw him still stretched in the same position. Spouts were coming
thick and fast on the lake, which was full of lively motion. But
Gleameil was not on her legs. She was lying on the ground, in a heap,
without moving. Her attitude was ugly, and he guessed she was dead. When
he reached her, he discovered that she was dead. In what state of mind
she had died, he did not know, for her face wore the vulgar Crystalman
grin. The whole tragedy had not lasted five minutes.

He went over to Earthrid and dragged him forcibly away from his playing.

"You have been as good as your word, musician," he said. "Gleameil is
dead."

Earthrid tried to collect his scattered senses.

"I warned her," he replied, sitting up. "Did I not beg her to go away?
But she died very easily. She did not wait for the beauty she spoke
about. She heard nothing of the passion, nor even of the rhythm. Neither
have you."

Maskull looked down at him in indignation, but said nothing.

"You should not have interrupted me," went on Earthrid. "When I am
playing, nothing else is of importance. I might have lost the thread of
my ideas. Fortunately, I never forget. I shall start over again."

"If music is to continue, in the presence of the dead, I play next."

The man glanced up quickly.

"That can't be."

"It must be," said Maskull decisively. "I prefer playing to listening.
Another reason is that you will have every night, but I have only
tonight."